PROHIBITION FALLACIES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6660, 5 December 1899, Page 1

PROHIBITION FALLACIES.

« — (Published by arrangement). CONSIDER YOUR DUTY. To* the electors, — For weeks past you have been supplied with material for and against "no license," and to-morrow you will have to cast your votes yes or no on the question : have you gravely considered your duty ? y The evidence, not of individual opinion., but of indisputable facts, shows conclusively that prohibition nowhere prohibits. Leading prohibitionists have told you that, though it may not prohibit, it de-' grades the liquor traffic, is this a desirable end to achieve '! Leading temperance reformers say: "It is questionable if the gain is so great from the moral point of view as it is sometimes supposed to be. For, apart from the fact that the illicit and underground character of much of the traffic appears to offer peculiar temptations to the young, it is certain that one effect of so degrading the traffic is to create a lower class of liquor-dealers, whose methods are not only utterly unscrupulous, but fraught with seriousjnoral mischief to the community. In this way the social menace from the traffic is not only not destroyed but actually stimulated into more vicious and mischievous forms." The evidence of leading clergymen, business men, commercial and professional men, besides. State, municipal and police officials, all of whom have had practical experience of the results of- the prohibitory law, is conclusive, as showing that "no license " has utterly failed to promote temperance, or to reduce poverty, crime and insanity. On the other hand, they unanimously bear witness to the fact that it does produce many forms of vice and crime which are nowhere associated with the license system. There is absolutely no comparison between the progress made during a given period in license and "no-license" States. Reliable official statistics prove that, in States unaffected by this tyrannical form of coercion), population, industries, individual and collective wealth, increase at a rate altogether out of proportion to that of " no-license " territories. It has been> clearly proved that the law, instead of increasing the purity of municipal life, has been .productive of serious, widespread demoralisation. It has intensified the worst, forms of temptation, corrupted police administration, and undermined the popular respect for law. The Rev Principal Grant's appeal to the people of Canada is particularly appropriate just now to the people, not only of Christchurch, but of New Zealand. He said: There are dangers already threatening society and our national welfare. I venture to say to my brethren in the ministry, do not countenance the vile attacks on those who, .at much cost to their own feelings, are warning their fellow-citizens of the grave dangers into which they may fall by listening to their hearts rather thai* to their heads. After long and earnest consideration, I have come to the conclusion that a prohibitory law would be hurtful to the cause of temperance, and most hurtful to general public and private morals. Believing this, it is surely my duty to go to the poll AND VOTE NO to the question, Are you in favour of prohibition ? 1988